This place absolutely one of the best dumpling place I ever been. Everything we had was great, packed with flavors. Small dining area, so be prepare to wait a little. You order at the counter pay for it and they bring the food to your table when ready. Pork XLB was delicious!! 5/5 Cucumber Salad with crispy cucumbers and vinaigrette. 5/5 Garlic Green Beans is to die for!!! 5/5 Green Onion Pancakes was perfectly made. 5/5 Mongolian Beef was one of the best I have had. 5/5 Shumai was just okay. 3.5/5 Differently coming back soon!!! read more

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My friend picked up food to go for lunchie today. We ordered: Several xlb: 4/5 we ate them when they were lukewarm and they were still tasty. Thin wrapping and lots of juice inside. Beef roll: 4/5 I normally wouldn't eat this but it was surprisingly very tasty! I think there was a hint of cinnamon or a spice similar to it. Chili pig ear: 3/5 thicker than I like and flavor was just ok. Beef noodle soup: 4/5 tasty! Good hearty broth and thick noodles, good amount of beef too. Popcorn chicken: 4/5 good read more

BAD SERVICE! RACISM maybe??... my family and I went there 8/23/26 around 5pm and waited 10 min to get waters. Another party got there at the same time and were sat next to my table and they got waters from the same waitress before we got our water (the other party was White). We had to get drinks from the hostess. The waitress (not sure her name, Asian girl mid 20s??) didn't come back to take our order and I went to the hostess to order, again. The food is delivered by the waitress and hostess but the waitress doesn't say a word to us. She goes to the table next to us and asked them how their food was and if they want refills. I kept having to walk up to the hostess to get refills, napkins, and eventually boxes. The waitress then comes to the table to give us the check and only says one word "bag??" It was so uncomfortable and awkward, I couldn't help but think of it might've been because we are brown? Crazy thought but that's what it felt like. Anyways! Hope you guys don't have the same experience as us if y'all go to this place because no one should feel mistreated or disrespected. Reply:::::::::::::::::: It is a little confusing because it was our first time there and the party next to us got served water at their table and got checked on repeatedly, whereas we didn't, not once. It also says waiter service on the features section of this business page. read more

I have order delivery. The order was delivered within schedule and warm. The surprise of the lot was the steam pork bun. Originally expected it to be alright, it had exceed my expectation. It was nicely flavored with the char Siu filling and fluffy bun. Following the pan fried bun was a close second. It was warm, bottom crispy and the filing was juicy once the outer layer was bitten into. The disappointment of the trio item order was the beef roll. It was expected to be the main attraction but having it delivered may not do it justice as it was warm to room temperature and heavy as the oil saturated into the roll skin.overall a pleasant meal. read more

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We have only had take-out, but it was mediocre at best. Staff were friendly when we picked it up, and there was no wait despite a full restaurant with a lot of folks dining in. But this was our first time there and we were disappointed with the food. We ordered about $110 of dim sum, orange chicken, shrimp fried rice, white rice, pot stickers, and green beans. Most of the food was dry, uninspiring, and bland. Not sure we'd go back to try again. read more

Restaurant located in a busy plaza. The inside had a couple tables. To order, you grab a menu and use a marker to mark what you want to order. You then give your menu to the front and they will input the order for you. The food was so good and super affordable. I was shocked when the bill was lower than I expected! read more

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This is my second time coming to this restaurant. First time, I ordered BBQ fried pork buns. They were okay, but I wouldn't order them again. Just not for me. The second time I went, I ordered regular pork buns, and the BBQ fried pork buns, for a friend. She loved them last time. The restaurant is in a mall with plenty of parking. The restaurant has several 4-person tables, and two 6-person tables. The ambiance has beautiful paintings on the walls. The floors, tables are clean. I'd definitely visit again. Oh, prices are what's expected in Castro Valley. $3 for each pork bun. About $10 for the BBQ fried pork buns, and that come 4 in an order. They are not the size of pork buns you may be used to. read more

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First time trying this restaurant Calling in my order was very easy and seamless I found parking rt in front of the restaurant walked in and my order was ready to go Inside is clean and well organized Inside dining only Food is good and reasonably priced Chili chicken wontons are good and SPICY I love spicy food but this was extra spicy for me so proceed with caution lol Restaurant is located inside the Castro village shopping center Parking can be hard to find and parking spaces are super narrow read more

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A very decent dumpling location. I enjoyed everything I ordered this evening. Freshly made and you could taste it from the dishes. Don't forget to dip with the vinegar, soysauce, and sliced ginger. Good service, we had someone constantly checking on us to refill our water, even though it is self serve. Little cozy restaurant. read more

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I really really really needed to use the restroom and they were so kind to let me do so before ordering takeout. I didn't have plans to order takeout or enter this establishment but it was the closest place and obviously it's terrible to use something without giving back. Restroom was clean and everything was well stocked. FOOD: Their prices are reasonable. I ordered lo mein (strange how they named the dish like the Midwest and east coast instead of "chow mein"). It's solely vegetarian unless you want to add chicken for $2 or shrimp for $4 or make it a combo per the server. Flavor on point. Very kind of them to include hot chili (without asking) in a Dixie cup placed in a separate bag within the bag with the takeout container. Strange how utensils aren't automatically provided. SERVICE: They are super attentive and friendly. I waited outside and they literally handed me my takeout as well as said "Megan... thank you! Have a nice day!" Major brownie points. AMBIANCE: Typical Chinese bun quick bites establishment. Casual dining. You see a mix of Caucasians, Asians, etc. Located in a plaza with multiple eateries, stores, etc.; therefore quite a large private parking lot. I didn't have to wait even during the weekend and peak hours. Would I come back? If I was in the area, I would try their XLB and other dishes... I have been on the hunt for an alternative as great as Din Tai Fung. read more

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After shopping at my favorite discount stores in the Village shopping center I love to end the evening with some Chinese food. My usual Chef's express closed a good 15 minutes early so that brought me here. I placed an order for takeout , the shrimp hargao, vegetable fried rolls and egg fried rice. Prices are really good when you consider how everything costs more these days. I also got a chrysanthemum tea to sip on while I waited, Yousef (sp?) who took my order came around a bit later to ask if I wanted more hot water. He also was nice enough to give me extra chilli oil when I asked for it. Plus points for both. The food itself : I loved the egg rolls and the shrimp hargao, and the chilli oil brought a nice flavor addition. Place has a very nice Asian cafe feel and I do see myself going back for a sit down meal, so I can eat the food piping hot and burn my mouth on some soup dumplings! read more

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Dumplings are made fresh. Grab a table, fill out the menu and bring to the counter. Service was quick and easy. Items are delivered to the table when ready. Great for a quick casual lunch. I got there around noon on a Thursday with no wait. By the time I left there was a line so plan accordingly. read more

88 Bao Bao - Crab & Pork Xiao Long Bao(8)(Steamed) - Chinese Near Me - Castro Valley, California

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We were in Castro Valley and wanted lunch. We checked out another eatery that we had heard about recently but were disappointed in their menu, so we walked around looking at other nearby restaurants. We had been to 88 Bao Bao when they first opened and weren't impressed. We decided that it had been long enough and that they deserved another visit. We were greeted upon entering and asked if we were planning on eating in or ordering to go. Once they knew that we were eating in, we were told to take any open table. A menu card with a dry erase pen was given to us and we were told to place our order at the counter once we were ready. When I presented our order and paid, I was given a numbered table topper. The weather was cold so we decided to get Wonton Soup, Xaio Long Bao and Hot Oil Noodles. It was my misfortune that almost immediately after our food arrived, I got a spontaneous nosebleed that wouldn't stop. So I sat there pinching my nostrils while my wife ate. One of the servers was very sharp. She saw my problem and discreetly stopped by a couple of times, dropping off extra paper napkins. Thank you! When the nosebleed stopped, the food was lukewarm at best. But I was hungry, so I still chowed down. The Xiao Long Bao and Wonton Soup were okay, but the Hot Oil Noodles were terrific! My head was soaked with sweat as we walked out. This visit was much better than our first experience and yes, we would be likely to return for more. read more

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Chain restaurant for Northern Chinese food located in the Castro Valley Village shopping center. Very busy place with quick turnover, lots of take out, good service, and lots of parking. XLB (good - no broken skins), Lo Mein (tasty), Green Onion Pancake (Pass on this), Various Dumplings, Spicy Won Ton (liked this), and Popcorn Chicken (large order, like Quickly better). Overall, fast, passable Northern Chinese fast food with good service. Refilling water constantly! read more

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The spicy beef noddle soup dish here is very good. I also like the beef rolls dish. I'm not a big fan of dumplings, but I like their options. The restaurant is small, but clean. Service is always good and friendly. Will definitely come back! read more

Came here late lunch as many dimsum banquets close between 3ish and 4 to prep for supper, but 88 bao was open! We tried a ton of dishes but I didn't think ALL the food would come out right away lol. Our table was full and we had to consolidate everything because the portions are huge. I will say this spot is pretty small and very much on the expensive side, but everything was really good. It's def not a banquet setting & the portions are a lot bigger, so don't be like us and order 50 things. read more

88 Bao Bao - Green beans, Stir-fried Lo Mein, Har Gow(Shrimp Dumplings), Vegetable Dumplings. - Chinese Near Me - Castro Valley, California

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88 Bao Bao is just one of those spots where whenever I'm trying to catch up with friends within a specific distance of the CV area, I always suggest "what about 88 Bao Bao?" There's always something on the menu someone likes and we almost always have to bring home leftovers. It oddly feels like it ends up costing an arm and a leg for what really should be cheap and yummy dim sum plates so I do feel like it's a little overpriced for what it is that or I just haven't gotten used to inflation (sob sob sob) so I kinda hate seeing the bill when it comes. The staff there are always so attention but it can get loud and crowded sometimes so come early if you can! read more

First time visiting this 88 Bao Bao location. We've been to the one in Dublin which is their sister restaurant. Parking is decent in this strip mall. The restaurant is nice and modern with Chinese murals and pics of their dumplings. Order with the cashier, pay, and take a number back to your table. The service was friendly and attentive. Self-serve complimentary water. Though they do come around to refill your water and clean up your dirty dishes. It was nice when they delivered the dishes, that they warned you again about the hotsoup inside the dumplings. *Pan Fried Pork Dumplings (4/5). These were more bread-y and bigger than usual. *Pork Xiao Long Baos: soup dumplings (4/5). Thin skin wrapper with nice hotsoup inside. Support your local business. read more

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Stopped by after checking out a nearby gym. Tasty food, reasonable sized servings, everything comes fresh and hot. The stand out that brought me to comment on here which I don't do often was the incredible service and hospitality, namely from a young woman named Erin. It is clear that the people who work here have their heart in it and want their customers to have a good experience and an enjoyable meal. Thank you Erin and the rest of the team for the great lunch! read more

I love xaio long baos, so I knew I needed to try this place! Upon walking in the place was busy which is always a good sign. You sit down with a menu, pick your food, pay at the counter and wait to be served. There's a self serve water station, but mid meal staff walked around asking to refresh our waters. They provide all the condiments on the table as well. We ordered garlic green beans, lo mein, soup xiao long baos, pan fried pot stickers, and chili oil wontons. Ordering all that food only came out to $65 which was a great deal to feed 3 people and we even had leftovers. The food was hot, fresh, good quality, and very delicious. This is a great place for a delicious & quick meal. Lots of options & great service! read more

88 Bao Bao - Chinese Near Me - Castro Valley, California

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Hidden jewel. Never new this restaurant was in the plaza. Enjoyed the food. A friend introduced it to me and I loved it. Quaint but delicious and very hospitable. I will definitely let others know about this spot! Compliments to the chef and staff. read more

Parking is always a little difficult in the village as it was designed when cars were new and it's not built well for large cars. Nonetheless we were able to find a spot. When we got inside, they initially refused to serve us because of my service dog. I informed the person at the counter of the "two questions" a business can ask (is that a service dog? What task does it perform?) and of the circumstances under which they COULD deny me entry (if he's misbehaving: barking, peeing on stuff). They still refused and said their boss needs to approve it and txted the boss. In the meantime we were not allowed to place an order and they asked the next person in line to step forward and place their order. I informed them that it's illegal to refuse service to me for having a service dog. I have worked in the service industry and a part of the training is always (SHOULD always) be about service animals. The fact that 88 Bao Bao does not train their employees to deal with disabled people in the establishment is disappointing to me. When you're in the service industry, it's your job to know the two questions at the very least. Refusing service out of ignorance to the law is a dangerous game to play, legally speaking, and could open a restaurant up to a lawsuit. It's not the fault of the teen at the counter who refused us, it's the fault of the owner who has an obligation to train their employees better. Onto the food. Eventually the boss approved us (it would've been illegal not to!) and so we ordered hargow and soup dumplings. It was $23 for the two baskets. We sat and they brought us plates and fresh ginger (not pickled). There are chopsticks and spoons at the tables. We received the soup dumplings in about 10 mins, then the shrimp ones about 10 mins later. They are small, and come 8 to a basket. The service was prompt and friendly. The dumplings were good-- not amazing, but would come back. The shrimp dumplings had a mystery other ingredient in them that was crunchy-- I thought perhaps bamboo? It wasn't listed on the menu as an ingredient so we weren't sure what it could be. The addition of the mystery crunchy item made the eating experience less enjoyable for me, this is a personal preference thing but if I'm ordering plain shrimp dumplings there should just be the shrimp filling. Now if I'd ordered shrimp dumplings with bamboo in them then I'd be thrilled. But it was unexpected and unwelcome for my tastes, the sharp crunch of the added thing was a stark sensory experience from the soft shrimp and chewy rice wrapper. The skins on the shrimp dumplings didn't initially stick to the paper inside the basket but stuck a whole lot to the plastic plates. Still, it was easy to chew and it tasted of shrimp. read more

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This is majorly a take out place and they have around 7-8 tables in the restaurant. I would recommend dinning in as the dishes taste better when eaten fresh. The scallion pancake was great with their chilli crisp, the string beans were juicy, the ha grow was decent as well, the chilli wontons had a kick but tasted good! And I've had better pork XLBs. I like at this place as they check on you and serve you water, compared to their other locations where honestly the servers come off as pretty rude. Overall the food is pretty good here and the price point is decent too. Give it a try! read more

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My bestie and I wanted to get food before we go on a little retail therapy. We saw this place on yelp and decided to give it a try. This place is sooo good. The soup dumplings were delicious and perfect for the weather, that day I went was cold and lots of raining. We will be back next time we're in Castro valley read more

When craving Shanghai dumplings, this is the best local place to visit. On a busy bustling Sat. Service was fast & efficient. Despite being busy, water was offered countless times. Orders: Green Onion Pancake($7.95)-a fried pancake that wasn't super oily, it had a beautiful crisp & flavor to it. Beef Noodle Soup($13.95)-a satisfying bowl of warm beef noodles always hits the spot. There may have been 4 pieces of beef & 2 Bok Choy pieces. Lo Mein w/o meat ($10.95) a generous amount of noodles that was flavorful & filling Pork XLB (8 for $12.95)- an average steamed pork dumpling, it didn't have a lot of flavor, but for a healthier dumpling, this is a good dish to get. Pork Bun ($3 for a large bun)-it was surprisingly big & could be easily shared. BBQ Pork Bun (2 for $4.95)- a typical bun to order For a dumpling craving, 88 Bao Bao is the place to go! read more

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I had lunch at 88 Bao Bao with my gf for the first time after a friend recommended it to me! The restaurant was very cozy with a decent amount of sitting area. We got seated pretty quickly and made our order at the front. We got the pan fried beef rolls, egg fried rice, xiao long bao, and the pan fried pork buns! Out of everything we got my favorite would have to be the pan friend beef rolls and the egg fried rice. The beef rolls tasted AMAZING and the egg friend rice was also pretty good! The xiao long bao tasted okay and was a little thick for me and I wasn't the biggest fan of the pan fried pork buns either. All in all, i still had a decent experience and i would definitely come back for the pan fried beef rolls. read more

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A solid dumpling spot if you are craving Shanghainese food. I've been to this spot multiple times and have also been to their Dublin location. The food tastes about the same regardless of location. Parking: shared lot with other businesses. Spots are a bit cramped. Ambiance: limited tables inside, cozy atmosphere with an open kitchen. You order and pay at the register, they give you a number to bring to an open table you find. You have to self serve your own water but the staff does bring the food to you. Service: 2/5. Mostly self service. Don't expect much except for staff bringing food to your table. Food: 3/5. Average food you would get at a dumpling spot. This time, I ordered the pork soup dumplings, the stir fry noodle, the shrimp and pork dumplings, and the beef noodle soup. Portion size was generous and everything was fresh. I recommend the pork soup dumplings and the vegetable stir fry noodle. Cost: $$ If you are in the area and am craving some xiao long bao and don't want to drive further, this is a solid spot. Keep in mind, you may have to wait for an open table since it's a pretty small restaurant. read more

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Love 88 Bao Bao... XLB, Vermicelli with chicken, pot stickers and so on. Everything is perfection, but my only negative comment is they need better condiments..... dumpling sauce, hoisin sauce, chili paste. Other than that the food is fantastic. Can't drive by and not order Vermicelli with Chicken! read more

Came here on Thursday night and it was busy. There are not a lot of seatings so you might need to wait for a table. A lot of people also order to go from here. I think it's a very solid dumpling place and I really enjoyed the beef noodle soup. However I felt like the bbq pork bun flavor was not the usual flavor and I didn't like the texture as much. Overall, it seems like a very popular place for locals and the portions are good for the price! read more

Seems like I found a new favorite XLB spot outside of Fremont! You order and pay at the counter before you get your food. This is kinda weird especially when it comes to tipping. You never know what level of service you'll get. Water may or may not be self-served. We ended up getting it ourselves after ordering, but the staff did come back around a few times to check if we want a refill. We ordered their pork xlb, pork and crab xlb, beef noodle soup, and pot stickers. A bit of a mixed bag for the XLB. The skin wasn't too thick and the broth was good. The meat was very small though. There was also a little hard crab stuff in mine, which means they do use real crab so that's still good. Another notable thing was their noodles. I like how they're hand cut and had good texture. The only glaring problem, which is outside of their control, is the terrible parking situation in this plaza. Side note, careful with the pot stickers. They're a bit juicy so it'll get everywhere if you're not careful. read more

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Great and quick service. Our teacup and water cups were always full. Same concept and layout as the one in Dublin. We enjoyed the fresh mango juice too. Soup dumplings are always a good idea. read more

88 Bao Bao - Shumai Dumpling l, Pan Fried Pork Bun, Golden Fried Bun with Condensed Milk - Chinese Near Me - Castro Valley, California

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We love coming here. Everything is great, they have enough selection of vegetarian dish. The restaurant is small, but always busy. It was pretty busy when we walked in, but we got seated right away and handed a menu. You mark the menu and then bring to the counter to order. I love seeing all the ladies making the dumplings in the back, they make them fresh daily. We ordered the green onion pancake, so good and flaky! The cucumber salad was amazing, the stick rice and mushroom shumai dumplings were so good and you can't go wrong with their sesame balls! The vegetarian bun though, I would pass. Not much flavor, it's bland and the bun seemed a bit dry. The whole experience was great, the service is phenomenal and the food is always great! Come see for yourself. read more

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I'm always seeking out solid dumpling restaurants everywhere I go, and I'm happy to have found this hidden gem here in Castro Valley! I see they also have other locations in other farther out cities, so hope I'll remember to check those out if I'm passing by. Walking in, I saw they had a large ordering counter at the front, like a fast food or takeout restaurant. But as staff immediately asked if we wanted to dine in or get takeout, and seated us for dine in. The menus state we need to order at the counter anyways, and I saw a self serve section for water and utensils. We initially served ourselves with water, but as we were eating, the staff came by multiple times to check up on us and refill our water. They were surprisingly more attentive than the average dine in restaurant, despite the mildly confusing takeout/dine-in hybrid setup they had. I was very happy with the soup dumplings we got! They were bigger than average in size and had great soup flavor. The downside though, was the meat being a little disproportionately small compared to the size of the overall dumpling. But other restaurants in Bay Area would be charging more for even smaller dumplings, so I'm not too mad about this one. Overall, I'm definitely keeping this place on the list of restaurants to return to again :) read more

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We arrived on a Friday evening around 7PM and found this place packed. Parking was not hard to find. We had walked packed this place before and even looked at the menu, but my friends was hungry so we decided to eat here. The place was full and the employee asked us if we walked to eat in or take out. We decided to eat in and there were 2 parties in the wait list prior to us. We waited around 20 minutes for our seat while more folks arrived. When we sat down, they had split the tables and we did not have an of the sauces and cutlery at our table which was an awkward inconvenience as we had to ask the table next to us if we could use their vinegar, chili oil, etc. We ordered: (1) Pork Xiao Long Bao 3/5 We thought this was underflavored and bland, but appreciated the soup in the dumpling(as we've eaten other dumplings all dried up). It was unfortunate how bland their Xiao long bao was. (2) Beef roll 4/5 Also bland but crunchy with tender and soft meat. This wasn't as bland as the Xiao long bao, but the vinegar helped a lot. This dish came out cooled down and wish it came out hot. (3) Pan fried pork buns 5/5 Our favorite dish tonight. The meat was properly seasoned and the bottom was pan fried to perfection. This came out nice as hot. We loved the casual setting where you could order up from and they brought the food to you. Overall, we'd come by again as it's closer than our favorite Xiao Long bao spot in Union city, but it is not our first pick! read more

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88 Bao Bao is a solid spot for comfort Chinese and Taiwanese food! When I came here on a winter weekday night, it was pretty packed in a small space, but we still got seated. The beef noodle soup is solid! That's a Taiwanese staple, and the beef was tender and delicious, and the noodles were nice and thick. I couldn't finish the broth because I was so stuffed. Xiaolongbao is also fantastic! It's hard to go wrong with good soup dumplings. In the narrow hallway between the dining area and the restrooms, there's clear glass windows through which you can see the chefs making dumplings. That transparency is always fun to watch in Chinese restaurants! A good spot in Castro Village Shopping Center. I wish I could say parking is ample (and it is on weekdays), but over the weekends, it's packed and can be hard to find! read more

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Great food, always have take out, small restaurant, not many seats. Ambiance is lacking, but who cares, the reason I come there is for the food. read more

Came here with a friend before an event and it hit the spot! Since we both like to try new things, we were able to get a few dishes to share - including the pork baos, xiao long bao, beef noodle soup, and fried pork buns. A lot for two people but we finished everything, which is a sure sign that we'll be coming back here. You order at the front (there's a kiosk and server) and the food is brought to your table when ready. Note that the bao order comes with one bao only (though it's rather large). There is an area where you can observe the food being made, if that's your jam. This restaurant is located in a very busy shopping complex so parking is very tough on the weekends. You might need to circle around a few times to secure a spot. I would say it's a pretty casual setting and very efficient. Food portions were decent and the fried buns were made with the perfect amount of crisp. Would recommend! read more

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This was my first time trying XLB and 88 Bao Bao. Walking in I enjoying seeing the staff hard at work preparing noodles and dumplings. I ordered a few things off of the menu: Hand pulled chili oil noodles: this was a delicious chewy textured flat noodle covered in chili oil. Popcorn Chicken: I'm a huge fan of this item, they give a large portion and it's fried to crunchy perfection. XLB: tasty broth inside these delicious dumpling hot pockets. Very good and even better with a little chili oil and soy sauce. Potstickers: this was my favorite item. Love a pan seared dumpling filled with meat and it is very similar to the XLBs with a tasty broth that comes out. Staff were friendly and very helpful. Can't wait go back for more. read more

Great place with amazing dumplings! Everything we ordered was fresh, flavorful, and delicious. The dumplings were definitely the highlight. Great food, friendly service, and a nice atmosphere. We'll definitely be coming back! read more

Strolled around Castro Valley and came across this place, looks decent and busy so we decided to give it a shot. Not sure who all these 4 stars givers was about maybe they have new ownership??? Ordered: XLB, onion pancake, pan fried buns, string bean, and popcorn chicken. Not sure what went wrong but the meat and texture of bao were not so good. Definitely need to work on their marinate sauce wine ratio and selection of meat. String beans were ok. Good strategy since you have to pay first , make it no point of complaining by customers. We went to the Dublin one before and it's night and day compare to this one. read more